Dr. Katherine Morris, the adult education chair at Adat Shalom in Bethesda, MD notes that, "House Of Ghosts teaches, inspires, and entertains all at the same time.

"At first look, this appears to be a compelling contemporary detective story. But it soon turns into an exploration of anti-Semitism and Jewish resistance to Nazism in the United States in the years preceding World War II."

Yes, this is historical fiction. While the broad outline of its narrative is true to known facts, Author Lawrence Kaplan creates a "slightly" alternative version of history, which reflects an empowered vision of American Jews and their role in conquering the Third Reich.

What I found most remarkable in this fictionalized retelling of the American Jewish experience in World War II was how vividly Larry Kaplan brings the past to life, presenting an illuminating and empowering vision of Jewish resistance to Nazi inhumanity.

House Of Ghosts reaches its climax as American Jews seek to save Auschwitz inmates through aerial bombing (based on historical fact) while anti-Semitic forces conspire to thwart their heroic efforts.

Kaplan takes the reader on a masterful dance between the present day, and the darkest hours of World War II as his detective protagonist, Joe Henderson, experiences personal redemption while seeking to bring justice and closure to the heroic actions of Paul Rothstein who defied Allied authorities in his attempt to bomb Auschwitz from his B-17 Flying Fortress.

Epic in its breadth, the novel sweeps you effortlessly from contemporary Westfield, New Jersey to the Princeton University of 1939, and on to the aerial battle above Italy and Poland in 1944. Along the way you'll meet up with notables such as Charles Lindbergh, Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau, Jr., and General Fulgencio Batista of Cuba.

This is inspirational reading for all lovers of freedom, and, especially, for those who are proud of their Jewish heritage.